Mihkelson: Islamic extremism and Russian revisionism the greatest challenge for European security ({{commentsTotal}})

The terrorist attack involving so many victims in Paris constitutes an attack into the very heart of European freedoms and values, said the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson (IRL).

“The terror in Paris concerns us all, because it is an attempt to put in doubt the values and principles of the free world,” Mihkelson stressed.

“The barbaric cold-blooded mass murder in Paris unfortunately corroborates that the European security is under an ever-increasing pressure today. The increasingly rapidly spreading Islamic extremism which ignores state borders, and also the growing Russian revisionism have at the same time become the greatest challenges for common European security,” Mihkelson said.

“Europe has not had such a complicated neighbourhood for a long time. The best solution here is to strengthen the common foreign and security policy of the European Union, focusing on the European security strategy which has been waiting for an update for a long time,” Mihkelson said.

Following the local elections in October this year, Reform Party founder, former prime minister, EU commissioner, and presidential candidate Siim Kallas took on the job of municipal mayor of Viimsi, a community on the outskirts of Tallinn. In his interview with ERR's Toomas Sildam, Kallas talks about local government, his party, the EU presidency, and perspectives in Estonian politics.